Piston-rod.



W. R. MGKEBN, Jg.

PISTON ROD.

APPLICATION FILED 0OT 2, 1905.

Patented Jan. 31, 1911'.

Y m. L a NN N lll-Illini QW [Memes eine.

WILLIAM R. MCKEEN, JR., 0F OMAHA, NEBRASKA.

PISTGN-ROD. i f

Specification of Letters Patent.

To all w'iogn fit may concern.'`

( )ne of the objects thereof is to provideI simple and eliicient means adapted to aid in the support of a piston-head and hold 1n alineinent the rod thereof.

Another object is to provide means of the above type which shall be' readily maintained in eiiieient Working condition.

. Another object is to provide ineansof the first-mentioned type,all parts 4of which shall be readily accessible.

tlier objects will be in part obviousvand in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations lof elementsand arrangement of parts which ,will be exexn lied in the apparatus hereinafter descri ed and the scope ofthe appli` cation of which Will be indicated in the fol-l lowing claims-... l

In the .accompanying drawings, wherein is shown one of various possible embodiments of my invention,-l+`igure l ias: longitudinal section of the same Fig 2-is an end elevation of certain parts thereof; Fig. 3 is a sectional view of a bushing; Fig. l is an end View of the same.

Similar' reference characters refer to simi-` lar parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Preliminary to a detailed description of this embodiment of my invention, it may here be noted that in the case of large cylinders,asl 1n the low-pressure cylinders ot multiple expansion engines, l have found that there is a tendency, when the rod terminates with the piston-head, to bring on the packing rings a considerable weight und to cx pose these parts, together with the cylinder walls, to considerable friction, resulting .in the cutting and rapid wearing away of these parts and, in the case of large pieten-heads, often causing u tendency 'of the head to cramp or wedge within the cylinder. .l have found that if it be attempted to remedy the .above defects by means of an extended pisr ton-rod, it is highly desirable in the caseof Kwear upon the supporting parts, I have Patented Jan. 31, 1911.' Application filed 'October 2, 1905. Seral No. 250,921.

found it to be important, for a nice alinement of the piston-rod, that these parts be readily maintained in a highly eflieient condition. .Tf ielabove and other advantages are attained" i' 'constructions of the nature of that hereinafter described.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings, there is shown a piston-rod l passing through a stutling box?. and provided' with a piston-.head 3 held thereon against the shoi1l` der 4 as byrmeans of nut '5. As these arts areiof Well known construction, and erm, in. themselves. no art of the-.present invention, a .detailed escription thereof is un-` necessary. I

Piston-rod 1v extends through the cylin' der-head 6, the latter part being provided 'with a bearing 7 stii'ened by suitable radial ribs 8, as shown in the drawings. The bea"d in g i' is recessed, as shown at 9, and provided with longitudinal grooves 10 and 11, respectively extending from this recessed portion toward `andlaway from the'eyli-nder and leading respectively into vthe cylinder and into an vannular groove l2 eut'within the outer-end'. *c

Within bearing -7 ofthe cylinder-head is itted a bushing 13, bestjshown in 'Figs'. 3 and tfof the-drawings. This bushing is provided .with a flared lip or flange' 14;

cess 15 formed in the cylinder-head, and is providedwith slots 16 for a purpose herein-y after to, be described. Bored through bushing 13 Iat regular intervals and preferably adapted to be seated Within an annularrei" four in number are the openings -17 tapped f to receive a threaded plug 18, which passes through the bearing 7. It will thus be seen that, upon the bushingglbeing,` rotated, as hy a Spanner engaging the slots 16 the por`-. tion tiereoffupon which the Wei ht of the .rod with its associated parte fel s may be varied et will and the busbin locked in position., as by the plug 18. ieyslots 16, moreover, are se disposed as, upon the bushwith the groove 1l and thus provide a free ing beinglocked by the plug 18, to register passage for the steam to and from the"cyl4 inder, as hereinafter described.

About tlieouter end of the bushing 13 is turned a groove 19, Which -is adapted to serve as a tell-tale indicating the depth of Wear of the rod 1. This groove, which eX- tends preferably to a depth corresponding to the limit of permissible Wear of the rod upon the bushing, is readily inspected, and, upon the rod Wearing down to the lower surface of the groove,A the plug 18 is Withdrawn and the bushing turned and relocked by the plug, as 'above described.

Upon the outer end of the extended. portion of the cylinder-head or bearing is bolted what may be 'termed a casing 30, 'which comprises a heavy tube 21 provided at its innerv surface With a collar 22 and terminating at its outer end in a cap 23 having a suitable drainage cock 24. The collar 22 is rigidly bolted, as at 25, to the flanged outer end of the head, a copper gasket 26 being inserted between these parts. The tube 21 is thus held in alinement with the piston-rod and provides a suitable housing therefor, upon the piston traveling to the head end of the cylinder. Collar 22, as will be seen from the drawings, takes against the Harige 14 of the bushing 13 and positively locks the same against out-Ward 'movementwith the parts in assembled condition. l

The operationof the above described embodiment of' my invention is substantially as follows: The bushing 13 is inserted Within bearing 7, andthe plug 18 being driven home Within one of the openings 17, the casing or housing 2O is bolted in position against the iange le. The engine is then in ruiming i condition, and the Weight of the piston-head and associated parts is supported, as ivell as the rod 1 held in alinement, by reason'yotl the bearing of the extended portion thereof within the bushing 13. As the housing 20 is steam-tight, no packing is needed in this bearing, and additional friction and complication of the mechanism is thus done away with.v The steanifrom the cylinder,

moreover, has a free passage to and from the casing provided through the grooves 10A and 11 and slots 16, as above described, and

hence there is no resistance to the movement of the'extended end ofthe piston-rod Within the casing. It will also be noted that the slots permit to some extent the drainage of water of condensation from the housing 2G into the cylinder. The cock '24 is used in a vWell known manner to drain any Water of condensation which may accumulate in casing 20. fWhen it is desired to inspect the several parts, as for determining the amount ofwear of the bushing 13, the casing is. rel moved, it being necessary merely to Withdraw the bolts 25, whereupon the outer end of 'the bushing is fully exposed, and, by an inspection of the limit groove 19, the coning countersunk within sai heim,

. eey.,

dition of the bushing may be determined` lit a glance. If' the Wear has'reached the limit the bushing as above described in such manneras to bring a new portion thereof into position under the piston-rod. ever, the entire bushing has Worn down, thes If, howsame may be readily withdrawn and a new' bushing inserted and locked in position, upon casing 20 being replaced.

It- Will be seen that I have provided sim ple, inexpensive and efficient means whereby a'pi'stoirrod, with the parts mounted thereon, is supported at the head end of the cylinder and the packing rings and cylinder walls are relieved ofthe Weight Which would otherWisebe` brought to bear thereon. The piston-rod, moreover, is held in exactalinement, and any tendency to cramp the piston head or cutthe parts through which either this member or the piston-head travels isA done awa-y with.` The parts, moreover, whereby these desirable results are accomplished arereadily'inspected and easily adjusted or renewed. These. 'pai-ts, moreover,

permissible, it is necessary merely to rotate I are positively locked in assembled conoition Aice the scope thereof, l intend that all matter contained in the above description or sliotvii in the accompaiiying` drawings shall be iuterpieted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. l desire it also to be undo stood that the language used in the following claims is intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein 'described and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter oflanguage,

might be said to fall therebetween.

Having described my invention, what 1 claim as'new and desire to secure by Let ters Patent is 2- 1. ln engine construction, in combination, a cylinder-hea", a {aston-rod passing through said head, a bushing interposed jbetween said head and said rod and provided with an outwardly--exiending lip resting against said head aud a casing into which said rod is adapted to travel secured directly to said head und engaging said lip and lock# ing the saine against said head, said lip be- ,i

in combina- -rod passing i said d pi. on rod said hea-fl 2. In engine constructu tion, a cylinder-head, a p through said head, a ca. head and adapted to rc i ,5: and a bushing interposed ietween essere and said rod, the exposed' end ,of said bushing von and a removable casing secured to said ing said head and ycountersunk Iwith means head and adapted to receive said piston-rbd, said casing heilig adapted u onl removal to expose the' recessed end of said bushing.

y 4. In engine construction, in combination,

a cylinder, an integral piston rod passingthroughy both heads of said cylinder, a bushing interposed bet-Ween saidrod and one of said heads,'said bushing being provided .with anannulargroove about its outer end, `'the outer wall of said groove being concentrio with the inner surface of said bushing',l and a closed casing secured to said head and adapted to receive said-piston rod, said head bein-g provided with a passa e leadiii rom,

said casing intosaid cylin er-wher'e y the fluid displaced by saidl piston rod'inay pass into said cylinder. i

A5. -In engine construction, in combination, a cylinder-head, a piston-rod passing through said head, a rotatable bushing interposed between said head and said rod and adapted to be d rawn outwardly Vfrom said head, means adapted to lock said bushing against longitudinal movement, and independent means adapted to lock said bushing in a plurality of predetermined positions against rotary movement.v

(3. In engine construction, in combination, a cylinder-head, a piston-rod passing through said head, a bushing ,interposed between said rod. and said head and provided with .an outwardly-projecting 'partengagtherein and adapted to indicate the depth of wear ol: said rod thereon, and means adapt- \ed to lock said outwardly-projecting part againstsaid head.

T. ln engine construction, incombination, a cylinder-head, a piston-rod passing through ,said head, a bushing interposed between said head and said rod, aI casing secured to said head into which said rod is adapted to travel, and grooves within said head about said bushing adapted to permit the lpassage of steam from the cylinder intoA and outof said casing.

8. Iii engine construction, in( combination, a Acylindeiliead, a piston-rod passing through said head,

with an outwardly-extendinfflip restingagaiiist said head and having s ots cut therein, a casing into which said rod is adapted to travel secured to said head and engaging said lip. and locking said bushing in operative position, and grooves within said cylinder-head about said bushing adaptedto coact with said slots and permit the passage of steam from the cylinder int-o and outy of said casing.

'9. In engine construction, in combination, a cylinder head, a piston rod passing.

through said head, a bushing interposed between said head and said rod, and a closed casing secured to said ,head linto which ,said rod is adapted to travel, cut away to permit-the passage of -luid from the cylinder into and out ot said casing.

said bushing beingv '60 a bushinginterposed b e-tj-l tween-said headv and said rod and provided lv 1.10.' In engine construction, in -ooinbination, a cylinder, an integral istoi'i'rod passing through both heads oit' said cylinder', and

a substantiallyhorizontal closed casing sey cured .to one of said heads and adapted toreceive said rod, said head being provided with a paage adapted toy permitthe passage ot fluid from the cylinder into andfout of said casing.A

11. In eng-ine construction, in combina-- tion, a cylinder, an integral iston rod passing through both hea and aclosed and adapted to receive said rod, said head being provided with a passage leading from lthe lower ortion of said casing to the mtes o said cylinder,- casingisecuied'to one of saidiw A heads in a substantially horizontal position rior of sai cylinder whereby steam I iiay pass to or from said casing land said easing may' drain into said cylinder. In testimony whereof I' aiix my signature, Vin the presence of two witnesses.

. WILLIAM'R. MoKEEN,-Jii.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM S. MCCUN,

Gro. THoMi'SoN. 

